Tooth-cleaning and massaging device



Feb. 13, 1968 J. B. KIRBY 3,363,553

TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

JAMS a 495V Feb. 13, 1968 J. B. KIRBY TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGINGDEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1965 INVENTOR.

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Feb. 13, 1968 J. B. KIRBY 3,368,553

TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGING DEVICE .Filed Jan. 29, '1965 v 4Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

J4M$ a near ATTOFA/EYS' 1968 J. B. KIRBY 3,368,553

TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4[N VEN TOR.

J4M5 5, ,f/pey BY 1 MA/fA/A/K p ma'm/ara 454mg a Galena United StatesPatent C 3,368,553 TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGING DEVICE James B. Kirby,P.O. Box 2735, Pompano Beach, Fla. 33062 Filed Jan. 29, 1965, Ser. No.428,958 13 Claims. (Cl. 128-62) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device forcleaning the teeth which has a handle and a pair of spaced arms mountedon the handle. An elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick ismounted on the end of each of the arms and each pick has a relativelywide base which tapers to a narrowed end portion. The picks are mountedon each arm so that the distance between the narrowed end portions ofthe picks is less than the thickness of the average humna tooth so thatthe picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teethadjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massageand stimulate the gums in the spaces.

This invention relates to tooth-cleaning devices and, more particularly,to tooth-cleaning devices for massaging the gums and dislodging foodparticles from between the teeth.

Various devices have been proposed for cleaning and stimulating the areaof the gums between the teeth. One such device is set forth in my priorPatent No. 3,106,216. According to that patent, a tooth-cleaning deviceis provided having spaced arms for supporting and holding taut a strandof dental floss extending across the space between the arms. The devicefurther includes two opposed, elongated, flexible tooth-cleaning andgum-massaging picks, one attached to each of the arms. Although mypatented device is satisfactory and useful for its intended purpose, ithas been found that it will be improved in performance when modified astaught herein.

Other prior art tooth-cleaning devices have picks that arediflicult toposition between the teeth. Moreover, even if the picks of these devicesare properly positioned between the teeth, it is difficult to stimulatethe gum area between adjacent teeth, since the picks tend to slip out oftheir initial position when they are moved to massage the gums.

According to my present invention, I provide a toothcleaning devicehaving a pair of substantially rigid, spaced arms. A stiffly flexibleand elongated pick having a narrowed end portion is positioned on eacharm so that the distance between the narrowed end portions is less thanthe average thickness of a human tooth so that the picks are constrainedto be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth by the roundedportions on adjacent teeth. The picks are formed from a stifliy flexiblematerial which is capable of retaining its rigidity when pressed againstthe gums with a normal massaging pressure but which will flex whenpressed against a tooth. Thus, the picks will flex when they engage theopposite sides of a tooth but Will snap into their original shape whenthey are positioned in the gum area between adjacent teeth. Vinylchloride polymers and copolymers plasticized for flexibility arepreferred for molding the picks. The toothcleaning device according tomy present invention, moreover, includes picks mounted on spaced arms sothat the axis of each pick may intersect the axis of the other pick toform an acute angle. This orientation of the picks permits the narrowedend portion to project between the teeth and massage the gum areabetween the teeth.

According to a further aspect of this invention, I pro- "ice vide astrand of dental floss across the space between the arms to assist indislodging and cleaning food particles from between the teeth. Accordingto this aspect of my invention, I provide a hollow handle having asupply of dental floss contained therein and provide a novelflosstensioning arrangement so that the floss may be held taut betweenthe arms.

According to a still further aspect of my present invention, I provide atooth-cleaning device having a hollow handle for containing a cleaningor antibacterial fluid. Passageways are provided from the handle to thetip of one of the picks, and the sidewall of the hollow handle ispliable so that it may be squeezed to force fluid through thepassageways and into the space between adjacent teeth.

It is, therefore, an object of my present invention to provide atooth-cleaning device which overcomes many of the prior art problems.

It is a more particular object of my present invention to provide atooth-cleaning device which has a pair of flexible, elongated pickshaving narrowed end portions and having a space between the end portionsthat is less than the average thickness of a human tooth so that thepicks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacentthe gums.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tooth-cleaningdevice which has a pair of spaced arms and an elastic tooth-cleaning andgum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of the arms, and having arelatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion and means toattach dental floss to each of the arms so that the floss extends acrossthe space between the picks and so that the floss is held under tensionby the arms.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a toothcleaning andgum-massaging device which includes a pair of tooth-cleaning picks andmeans to supply a stream of tooth-cleaning fluid to one of said picks.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent and more fully understood from the following detaileddescription of the invention and from the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a tooth-cleaning andgum-massaging device according to one aspect of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a portion of thedevice illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 showing the connection between thehandle and the head;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view showing the device in use;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingdevice according to a further aspect of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, of thetooth-cleaning and gum-massaging device illustrated in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the device shown inFIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of a pair of opposed picks showing thepicks massaging and cleaning between adjacent teeth;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8, but showing the picks inelevation;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are fragmentary, perspective views of thetooth-cleaning device illustrated in FIGURES 5-7 and progressivelyillustrating the manner in which the floss is wrapped about one of thearms;

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a tooth-cleaningdevice according to a further aspect of this invention;

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view of a portion of the device, the plane ofthe section being indicated by the line 1313 in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of one of the picks illustrated inFIGURE 12;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of a portion of the toothcleaning deviceillustrated in FIGURE 12; and

FIGURES 16 and 17 are views of the device illustrated in FIGURE 12 andshowing different orientations of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 through 4,a tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging device is illustrated. The device 10includes a head portion 11 and a handle portion 12. The head portion 11includes a lower arm 13 and an upper arm 14. The head 11 and its arms 13and 14 are preferably molded from a stiff plastic. The arms 13 and 14are respectively provided with bores 15 and 16 at their ends. The bores15 and 16 respectively support a stiffly flexible lower pick 17 and astiflly flexible upper pick 18. The picks 17 and 18 are preferablyconical, having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed endportion 19. The length of each pick is preferably three times the widthof the pick measured across its base. The end portions 19 are spacedapart so that the distance between them is less than the thickness of anaverage human tooth, and may be as small as inch. Ideally, this distanceis less than twice the width of a pick measured across its base. Thus,as may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 8 and 9, one pick 18 is notcompletely retracted from the space between the teeth when the otherpick 17 is pushed between the teeth. When the picks 17 and 18 arelocated between the teeth, therefore, they tend to lock in their properpositions for massaging and cleaning a particular area.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 2 and 9, the picks 17 and 18 haveaxes A and A respectively, that intersect to form acute angles. A planeP bisects the acute angles formed by the axes A and A and isperpendicular to the plane P that is defined by the axes A and A It isdesirable that the body of each pick 17 and 18 be spaced from the planeP so that the narrowed end portion 19 of each pick will massage the areaof the gum between adjacent teeth, as is illustrated in FIGURE 9.

In order to reach all of the spaces between adjacent teeth, the handle12 is mounted for universal movement relative to the head 11. The head11 is provided with a socket 20 which receives a ball 21 formed on theend of the handle 12. The socket 20 has a slightly smaller diameter thanthe ball 21 and is provided with slots 22 and 23 which permit the socketto expand slightly when the ball 21 is inserted therein. The socket 20grips the ball 21 with a force that is sufficient to resist any movementwhen the device 10 is employed to clean the teeth, but will permit thehead to be adjusted by hand to attain the proper orientation.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 through 7, a toothcleaning device 30,according to a further aspect of this invention, is illustrated. Thetooth-cleaning device includes an elongated, cylindrical floss containeror hollow handle 31. The handle 31 is provided with threads 32 at itsupper end and a supply of dental floss 33. A head 34 having a capportion 35 is screwed onto the threaded end of the handle 31. A slot 36is provided in the cap portion 35 and permits the floss 33 to be drawnout of the hollow handle 31. When the cap portion 35 is screwed tightlyonto the handle 31, the floss 33 is pinched between the upper end of thehandle and the cap portion 35.

The head 34 includes a lower arm 37 and an upper arm 38. The lower andupper arms 37 and 38 are respectively provided with bores 39 and 40.Stiflly flexible picks 41 and 42 having narrowed end portions 43 arerespectively carried by the bores 39 and 40. The distance between thenarrowed end portions 43 is less than the thickness of a human tooth, sothat the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between theteeth. Desirably, the picks 41 and 42 have axes which form an acuteangle and are oriented similarly to the picks 17 and 18 so that thenarrowed end portion 43 may massage the gums between adjacent teeth.

Referring now to FIGURES 10 and 11, a strand of dental floss isstretched across the space between the arms 37 and 38 by drawing alength of floss 33 from the handle 31. When a sufficient amount of flossis drawn from the handle 31, the cap portion 35 is screwed downwardly topinch the strand. The strand is then wrapped over the arm 37 (FIGURE 10)and under a projection 44 which is provided on one side of the arm 37.The strand is then drawn through a slot 45 in the arm 37, across thespace between the arms 37 and 38, and into a slot 46 in the upper arm38. The floss is then pulled tightly and is wrapped around a cleat 47which is provided on the upper arm 38. As the strand is wrapped aroundthe cleat 47, the arms 37 and 38 are drawn together slightly so that thestrand is placed under tension. The cleat 47 retains one end of thestrand and the other end of the strand is held firmly by its frictionalcontact with the lower arm 37 and by the upper end of the handle 31 andthe cap 35. Any excess floss may be severed by a cutter 48 which isprovided on the arm 33.

Referring now to FIGURES 12 through 17, a toothclcaning device 50,according to a still further aspect of this invention, is illustrated.The device 50 includes a plastic squeeze bottle 51 which serves as ahandle for the device. The squeeze bottle 51 has a threaded neck portion52 at its upper end and a plug 53 is received within the neck portion52.

The device 50 further includes a head 54 having a cap 55 which isscrewed onto the neck portion 52. The head 54 includes a lower arm 56and an upper arm 57. The lower and upper arms 56 and 57 are respectivelyprovided with bores 53 and 59, and stifldy flexible picks and 61 areprovided in the bores 58 and 59. The picks 60 and 61 have narrowed endportions 62 and the distance between the end portions 62 is less thanthe thickness of a human tooth.

The axes of the picks 60 and 61 intersect to form an acute angle, andthe picks are oriented similarly to the picks 41 and 42 and the picks 17and 18 so that the narrowed end portions 62 may massage and stimulatethe gums between adjacent teeth.

The equeeze bottle 51 is filled with an antibacterial or cleansingfluid. The stopper 53 is provided with a pair of tubes 63 and 64 whichcommunicate with a recessed portion 65 in the upper face of the stopper53. The orientation and lengths of the tubes 63 and 64 are selected sothat the end of at least one of the tubes is immersed in the fluid ifthe device 50 is employed to clean the upper teeth (FIGURE 16) or isemployed to clean the lower teeth (FIGURE 17).

When the bottle 51 is squeezed, cleaning fluid and air are forced intothe recessed portion 65 and then into a passage 66 which is provided inthe arm 56. An off-on valve 67 is provided in the passage 66. In theposition illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13, the valve 67 is open and hasan annular recess 68 which communicates with the passage 66. The valve67 may be closed by pushing the projecting end portion of the valve 67inwardly toward the arm 56. The passage 66 communicates with an axialbore 69 which is provided in the pick 60. The axial spacing of the endsof the picks with respect to each other,"

I have found by extensive testing that the ends of the picks should bespaced in the range of inch to 7 inch. This spacing provides a usefuldevice for the average individual.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each andevery one of the details described above, which have been set forthmerely by way of example with the intent of most clearly setting forththe teaching of the invention. Obviously, devices may be provided whichchange, eliminate, or add certain specific details without departingfrom the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-clean-ingand gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelywide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersectsthe axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance betweenthe narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness ofthe average human tooth, said arms having a rigidity which is sufficientto maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picksduring use, whereby the picks are guided into and out of the spacesbetween the teeth adjacent .the gums and so that the narrowed ends ofthe picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

2. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted, ononeend of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelywide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersectsthe axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance betweenthe narrowed end portions of said picks being less than twice the widthof a pick measured across its base, said arms having a rigidity which issuflicient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions ofsaid picks during use, whereby the picks are guided into and out of thespaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed endsof the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

3. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of said arms and having a relatively wide basethat tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises apick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis ofthe other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks being spacedfrom a first plane that is perpendicular to a second plane defined bysaid axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, the distancebetween the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than thethickness of the average human tooth, said arms having a rigidity whichis sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portionsof said picks during use, whereby the picks may be guided into and outof the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that thenarrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in saidspaces.

4. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of said arms and having a relatively wide basethat tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises apick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis ofthe other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks being spacedfrom a first plane that is perpendicular to a second plane defined bysaid axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, the distancebetween the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than twicethe thickness of a pick measured across its base, said arms having arigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance between thenarrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picks may beguided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gumsand so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate thegums in said spaces.

5. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein a strand of dental flossextends across the space between said arms for entry between teeth.

6. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelywide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis' that intersectsthe axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance betweenthe narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness ofa human tooth, a hollow container formed by said handle for holding asupply of dental floss, means for guiding a strand of floss out of saidcontainer, a guide means in each arm and a cleat on one of said arms,said floss being wrapped over one of said arms and then under said onearm, through the guide means in said one arm, across the space betweenthe arms, through the guide means in the other arm, and then around thecleat..on said other arm, said arms having a rigidity which issuflicient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions ofsaid picks during use, whereby the floss is held taut between said armsso that the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between theteeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks maymassage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

7. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelywide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm, a bore through one of said picks,and means to deliver fluid to said bore.

8. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelywide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersectsthe axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance betweenthe narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness ofa human tooth, a bore through one of said picks, and means to deliverfluid to said bore.

9. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelywide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersectsthe axis of the other pick to form acute angles, each of said picksbeing spaced from a first plane that is perpendicular to a second planedefined by said axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, thedistance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less thanthe thickness of a human tooth, a bore in one of said picks, and meansto deliver fluid into said bore, whereby the picks may be guided intoand out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so thatthe narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums insaid spaces.

10. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relativelyWide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement whichcomprises a pick mounted on each arm having an axis that intersects theaxis of the other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks beingspaced from a first plane that is perpendicular to a second planedefined by said axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, thedistance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less thanthe thickness of a human tooth, said handle being hollow and defining aflexible squeeze bottle, an axial bore through one of said picks,conduit means connecting said bore to said bottle so that fluid will beexpressed from the narrowed end portion of one of said picks, wherebythe picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teethadjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massageand stimulate the gums in said spaces.

11. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced rigid armsmounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning andgum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having arelatively Wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, theimprovement which comprises a stiflly flexible pick mounted on eachrigid arm, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picksbeing less than the thickness of the average human tooth, said armshaving a rigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance betweenthe narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picksare guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent thegums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage andstimulate the gums in said spaces.

12. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced rigid armsmounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning andgum-massaging ick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having arelatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, theimprovement which comprises a stifly flexible pick mounted on each rigidarm, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks beingwithin the range of /8 inch to inch, said arms having a rigidity whichis sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portionsof. said picks during use, whereby the picks are guided into. and out ofthe spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowedends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

13. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handIe, spaced arms mounted onone end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massagingpick mounted on the end of said arms and having a relatively wide basethat tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprisesa' pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axisof the other pick to form acute angles, the distance between thenarrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of theaverage,

human tooth, said handle being mounted for universal movement relativeto said arms, whereby the picks are guided into and out of the spacesbetween the teeth ad-v jacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends ofthe picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

7 References Cited UNITED L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

